Rome, 20 June 2024 – He has repeatedly criticized the work of Pope Francis (already since 2018) asking for his resignation, now Monsignor Carlo Maria Viganò is summoned by Holy See with the accusation of schism. The former US nuncio was invited to appear today ”to take note of the accusations and evidence regarding the crime of schism of which he is accused. That is, public statements which result in a denial of the elements necessary to maintain communion with the Catholic Church, including denial of the legitimacy of Pope Francis, breakdown of communion and rejection of the Second Vatican Council”. The former Holy Office – in the decree – reminds us that this is an extrajudicial criminal trial and warns the accused to appoint a lawyer.
It is one of the most serious accusations in the Catholic Church, an extreme pronunciation which has rarely occurred in history, from Martin Luther to the Lefebvrians.
For his part, Viganò is said ”honoured” of the accusations in a post on X. “I consider the accusations made against me as a reason for honor – wrote the former US nuncio – I believe that the very formulation of the charges confirms the theses that I have repeatedly supported in my speeches”. “It is no coincidence – adds Viganò – that the accusation against me concerns the questioning of the legitimacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the rejection of Vatican II: the Council represents ideological cancertheological, moral and liturgical of which the Bergoglian ‘synodal church’ is necessary metastasis”.
The reaction of the Vatican Secretary of State was immediate, Cardinal Pietro Parolin: ”I am very sorry because I have always appreciated him as a great worker and faithful to the Holy See”. But then to underline that ”he has assumed some attitudes and gestures for which he must answer – he said -. It is normal that the Doctrine of the Faith has taken the situation into its own hands by carrying out a necessary investigation to delve deeper into the situation”.
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